Insect destroyer



March 25 1924.

. J. N. MELLER INSECT DESTROYER Filed Dec. 20, 1922 menzog Joseph 7 P x n I L? 2 I. I. I J- Patented Mar. 25, 1924.

sAras JOSEPH N. MILLER, 01 MQHENRY, ILLINOIS.

INSECT DESTROYEB.

Application filed December 20, 1922. Serial No. 607,959.

T all whomjt may concern:

Be itknown that I, JOSEPH N. MILLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at McHeni-y, in the county of McI-Ienry and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Insect Destroyers, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to the provision of an insect beater, widely and colloquially known as afly-swatter. These devices have heretofore been made from a piece of metal fabric, wire mesh or screen secured in a. handle and having a protecting edge sewed or molded thereon. The sewed method of attaching the protecting edge or binding to some extent prevents fraying of the wire fabric, but adds little orno strength to the structure. The molded structure, on the other hand, adds considerable strength to the structure, but it results in a thickened edge which diminishes the ability to operate efi'ectively upon small flies or insects, and the molded method is also prohibitively expensive.

My present invention contemplates the reinforcing and binding of the edges of the wire mesh or fabric and the re-inforcel'nent of the portion of the fabric with which the handle is connected with a thin rubber tape which is folded over the edges and two pieces of which tape are disposed upon opposite sides of the fabric at the point where the handle is attached. This construction is of the most economical character and serves not only to bind the edges of the fabric against fraying, but also to provide a substantial re-inforcement for the fabric against impacts and side strains. I show an embodiment of my invention in the appended drawings, in which Fig. l is a view looking at the broadside of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmental section on line 22, Fig. 1, illustrating the handle assembly.

Fig. 3 is a fragmental view partially in section of an end of the device, and drawn to an enlarged scale.

Fig. 4 is a section on line li, Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragn'iental view, in perspective, illustrating one mode of applying the re-inforcement to the edge of the fabric.

Fig. 6 is a fragmental view, in perspective, of a special variety of material which may be used astape.

In the drawings similar reference characters have been employed to designate like parts wherever they occur throughout the several views. The heater is formed from a piece of wire mesh 7-, of any desired shape, but which I illustrate as of rectangular form with rounded corners. \Vhen it is not possible to employ selvcdge or finished edges, I cut the fabric adjacent the cross wire coming just outside of the pattern which I wish to form and turn over the extended ends of the cut wires, as clearly indicated at 8 in Figs. 8 and 4. Cheap rubber of comparatively thin section, such as is ordinarily used in the quick repair of pneumatic tires, is'now to be obtained generally upon the market. This sheet rubber is cut into tapes 9 of the requisite Width and folded longitudinally over the periphery or edges of mesh 7. The rubber used for making tire repairs will not only adhere, but will form into a homogeneous mass through the meshes or interstices of fabric 7', when firmly pressed together. Sheets of rubber of -difierent character may first be prepared or coated With an adhesive upon one side, and rubber sheets are also to be obtained which have an adhesive side usually covered with cambrie which latter is stripped oif to expose the adhesive surface below. Besides the edging applied, as described, I also take two strips 10 of the tape or sheet and bring them together upon opposite sides of the mesh at the place where the handle 11 is p to be secured. The tape 10 may be made in asingle piece and looped around the edge of the mesh or fabric in which case the ends of the edge braiding 9 may be terminated to abut tape 10. The handle 11 may be simply made of a light strip of wood through one end of which a kerf 12 is provided for receiving the wire fabric and its reinforcement which is further secured to the handle in any desired manner, as by a staple 13.

In Fig. 6, I have shown a fragment of a structure consisting of. an upper or outer layer of processed fabric 14 which is given the appearance of leather, to the under sur face of which is secured a layer of adhesive rubber l5 and the outer under surface of which latter is protected with a eambrie layer 16 which is designed to be stripped oil so as to leave an adhesive surface 17. This material may be cut in strips and employed as a binding or reinforcement, as above described. 1

In a structure made as above described, the binding and reinforcement is so pressed through the Wire fabric or mesh that the entire structure is very little increased in thickness, while at the same time the edges are bound against fraying and the entire mesh is reinforced against distortion in any direction as the rubber so applied, after distortion, Will return the mesh to its normal form when the distorting force is relieved.

What I claim is:

An insect beater comprising an element of open mesh Woven Wire, an adhesive rubber tape folded longitudinally mediate its ends to provide a channel in which the edges of the Wire mesh are disposed and which is JOSEPH N. MILLER.

W'itnesses:

CHARLES RAY PAGE, C. H. FEGERS. 

